Treating Dropsy in Betta Fish

OPENING: Bettas with dropsy are a sad sight as this video clearly shows.



See how swollen this poor guy is?  Notice his scales are sticking out like what is commonly referred to as a pinecone?  Classic symptoms.  Painting a perfect picture of what a beta with dropsy looks like.  As this eHow article points out, it's more or less the result of a bacterial infection.

Now most betta keepers would agree with this following video that warns that dropsy is very hard to treat successfully.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't try.  But it does mean you should go into the treatment routine knowing ahead of time that the odds are against your fish. 



That said this video outlines a five step treatment process step by step. 

Usually with a betta it will be isolated already.  You want this because the antibiotic medications recommend aren't recommended for general consumption. 

At the same time you are told to use Epsom salt to help relieve the excess fluid buildup. 

The point about no activated charcoal should not be overlooked.  It will remove the medication from the water making it less likely you will succeed.  So if you've got such a filter operational, remove the carbon before starting treatment.  You can always add is later to help remove the medications from the water.  That and water changes should accomplish that. 

CONCLUSION: This helpful vid gives you a good overview of what you are up against should your fish be unlucky enough to come down with a case of dropsy.  It does a good job of describing the disease and what you can try to do to beat it. 

The Basics of Setting Up Tropical Tanks

If you’re thinking of setting up a tropical fish tank, particularly housing betta fish in, then you need to learn about certain particulars.  That’s if you want to make your betta live way longer than a month.  Because bettas can live for 3-5 years given that they are in good water condition. Therefore, setting up a tank is not as easy 1-2-3. You basically have to procure the right materials.

The Tank
In looking for a tank, go for the bigger ones.  Betta fish are basically small creatures, but they are territorial in nature.  With that said, a single betta would own a 2.5 gallon tank as its own kingdom.  And part of betta fish care is to give them adequate space to thrive in.  So if you intend to put other fish species in, then you definitely have to get a larger container to give enough room for your tough betta.

Heater
Tropical fish, as they are called, live in tropical waters.  That means warm.  Therefore you need to set a stable warm temperature for them and this can only be done by installing a quality heater in your tank.  For most tropical fish species, 25 degrees Celsius is okay.  For betta fish in particular, experts recommend that you set the temp at 19-20 degrees Celsius.  If you have a large aquarium, you can install two small heaters.  Why? One is that you still have another one running should one of them breaks and stops working.  Second is that if you did install a single, large heater and in case its thermostat stops working, temperature fluctuation would be abrupt compared to installing a smaller one.  Most of the heaters commercially available now come with built in thermostat which automatically turns on or off in order to set a stable temperature.

Filter
Not all betta fish tank owners install filters in their tanks.  But if you’re cycling your tank, then you should install a good filter to keep your water clean at all times.  In choosing a filter, you have to make sure it fits your tank.  Choosing the right size of filter depends on factors like the size of your tank, the number of fish, and the plants placed in the tank.  You can choose from a wide range of filters ranging from internal and external filters to box filters and gravel filters.

Gravel
The gravel is not really necessary if you don’t intend to put live plants in the tank.  But if you’re thinking about getting live flora, then you need the gravel so the plants have something to anchor in.  About 2-3 inches of gravel would be enough.  But you may still be able to put some gravel for aesthetic purposes.  In this case, a layer of about ½-2 inches is good.  Remember though that the gravel could be home to bacteria.  Any food uneaten by your bettas could also settle on the gravel and this can easily make your water dirty.  Which can lead to many betta fish diseases.  So be sure to clean the tank regularly as well.

Setting up a betta fish tank should come easy now that you know the right tools and equipment to use.  Get these and all you have to worry about is how to stop setting your eyes on your prized bettas.